A customer was replacing his deck which gave him access to previously hidden rim joist. He was concerned that there was damage, but he had no idea how much damage was present.
Fifteen years prior a massive hale storm hit his home town. A few days later a friendly man rang his doorbell and informed him that he could get his siding replaced for free. He told him that he was already contracted by a number of neighbors and would take care of everything with the owners insurance company. The home owner was thrilled as his old aluminum siding was was looking tired and indeed was severely damaged by the recent storm.
In short order a crew was busy at his home removing the old aluminum siding and replacing it with vinyl siding. The job looked good! So who were these contractors? In the industry we call them storm chasers. They follow natural disasters, do the job quickly, collect money from the insurance company, and then leave town for the next storm.
The problem is that many do the work as quickly as possible. They are long gone before the owner realizes that the quality of the work was poor, which was the case with my customer. The siding crew never properly flashed around openings like the doors and windows. This caused a water to trickle and pool every time it rained. Over time, signifiant portions of the rim joist was damaged as well as the floor joists and the plate.
The needed repairs were extensive and wholly unnecessary if the job was done correctly. Unless you understand and can supervise the work I would use caution with these types of contractors. Additionally, be aware that the same can be said of some of the subcontractors who are hired through big box stores. Many make only a fraction of the cost that you are paying to the store and they have to cut corners to make a profit. See photos for more details.
